Cathay Pacific and its regional Hong Kong-based subsidiary Dragonair are working on a new regional business class seat to be used across both airlines -- and you won't have too much longer to wait to see what the airline has in store.

"We're definitely focussing on (regional business class)," Cathay Pacific's man in charge of seats, Head of Product Alex McGowan, told Australian Business Traveller.

McGowan says that Cathay is "taking on board comments from passengers that while they love the service in the region, the hard product is not up to the same standard as the long-haul product. We're going to address that."

Cathay and Dragonair currently use a dated recliner-style business class seat, which is slightly more spacious than what you might see in domestic Australian business class.

After the rollout last year of its very popular new fully flat "reverse herringbone" style business class beds, the airline is studying options to replace the older regional seats.

Competitors Singapore Airlines recently invested in a new angled-flat seat for regional Boeing 777 flights. These are similar in design -- but not in overnight fully flat sleeping comfort -- to SQ's long-haul business class seat.

Cathay's McGowan explained his airline's thinking: "We've talked about investment in the regional product, and it's definitely something we're looking at for both Cathay and Dragonair"

The airline wouldn't be drawn on dates or likely styles of seating, but "it won't be too long to wait before we're able to show you something," McGowan promised.

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